Propel-pencil



W. IVI. SAUNDERS.

PROPEL PENCIL. kAPPLICATION HLEDJULY'21,1920.

Patented June 7, i921 INI/ENTOR 14K /M w//mf W ATTOR EVS A lllll 1| unieWILLIAM IVL SAUNDERS, 0F WATERBURY, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR T0 THE HOGEMANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF N EW YORK.

PROPEIl-PENCIL.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that l, WILLIAM M. SAUN- DERs, a citizen of the UnitedSta-tes residing at Waterbury, county of New l'laven, State ofConnecticut, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement inPropel- Pencils, of which the following is .a full, clear, and exactdescription.

My invention relates'to improvements in propel pencils and has for oneof its objects to provide a new and improved rear-feedpropel pencil inwhich the lead can be inserted from the rear without removing thefollower.

It further has for its object to provide a new and improved yieldinghelical thread for a propel pencil such that when the follower reachesthe limit of its travel its movev ment of revolution is not checked.

lt further has for its object to provide a new and improved follower andnew and improved means for holding the movable parts within the pencil.

The following is a description of the embodiment of my inventionreference being had to the drawings in which- Figure 1 is a longitudinalsection of the pencil on a plane passing through its axis;

Fig. 2 is a partial longitudinal section on a plane at right angles withthe sectional plane of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a detail showing one end of the helix and support therefor;

Fig. 4 is a section on the line 4, 4, Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a section on theline 5, 5, Fig. l;

Fig. 6 is a section on the line 6, 6, Fig. 2;

Figs. 7 and.8 are sectional and end views of the closureJ for the lowerend of the magazine;

Figs. 9 and 10 are side elevations and end views of thevfollower;

Fig. 1.1 is a detailed side elevation of the lead and follower guidewithin the magazine;

Figs. 12 and 13 are a side elevation and end view of a follower guidewithin the helix, and

Fig. 14 is a perspective view of the lead carrier.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, 1 is a tubular pencilcasing having a tapered portion 2, and 3 and 4 are ring bushings havinga drive-fit in the casing 1. Between these two bushings 3 and 4, thereis a Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 7, 1921i.

Application led July 21, 1920. Serial No. 397,944.

sectional tubing made up of parts 5, 6 and?, withln which there is aspring helix 8. This -spring helix has one or two of its centralportions soldered to the portion 5, the remaining parts of the helixbeing free to move relatively to the portion 5 and to the portions 6 and7 The tubular portion 5 has a drive-fit in the casing 1. The result ofthis construction is that vthe helix is retained deuitely lixed withinthe casing 1 and both of its ends can be moved longitudinally for thepurpose hereinafter described.

Vlithinl the helix and engaging the threads thereof is a screwthreadedplug 9 (see Fig. 9) having a hollow bore in which the lower andoutwardly turned ends of a follower 10 are located. These outwardlyturned ends 'of the follower engage radial holes in the plug 9 so thatthe follower is positively secured to that plug so as to movetherewith.- Abutting against the bushing 3 and extending through thelbushing 4 so as to freely turn therein, is a follower guide 11 havinglongitudinal recesses 12. rlhe upper end of this follower guide abutsagainst an internal flange formed within the plug13. This plugconstitutes a closure for the lower end of the magazine 14 which issecured thereto by having its lower end crimped as at. 15. The followerextends through openthe plug 13. This guide reinforces the lowerportionof-the legs of the follower 10 'when the follower is nearly orfully in its downward position so as to relieve the follower fromtwisting strain. The upper end of the follower lies in an opening 17, ina guide 18, located within the magazine 14. This guide 18 is formed froma tubular sheet of metal and is bent into the form of a cross, the twoarms of'which are bent so as to have the faces of the metal closetogether, while the faces of the metal on the other two arms are spacedaway-so as to form the opening 17 referred to. The wire of these twofollowers is made of spring Wire of a diameter slightly smaller than thelead. The folding of the guide 18 results in. the production of a cen--tral channel which receives and guides the lead so as to prevent itsmoving out of alinement with the axis of the carrier 22. This crossshape guide makes a tight fit within the magazine 14 so as to be heldtherein by friction. The edges of the walls of the opening 17 areprovided with slight indentations 18 which act to assist in guiding thefollower 10. This cross shape guide is provided with two projections 19upon its upper end which are spaced apart' and bent over so as to coverthe opening 17. They are also provided with sti'ening ridges 20. Tn thewalls of the opening 17, which are opposite the two projections 19,there are slots 21, 21, as shown in Fig. 11, which permit the members ofthe follower 10 to be bent to one side, as shown in Fig. 2. The smagazine turns freely within the casing 1 and is held in placelby meansof the lead carrier 22, which is soldered at 23 to the bushing 3. Thislead carrier has an ex-v panded end 24 which fits in the reamed portion25 of the member 13, as shown in Fig. 1; the member 13 being free toturn relatively to the member 22. The expanded head has a conical memberwhich acts to v direct a lead toward the axis of the carrier.

The point of the pencil is provided with a spring clutch member 25, 26,which fits on the lower end of the lead carrier 22- and yieldinglyengages the lead 27 so as to prevent it from falling out of the point ofthe pencil. 27 is the ordinary cap which ts upon the end of themagazine. The exposed end of the magazine is'provided with a slot 28 inwhich a projection 29 extends so as to prevent the cap portion turningon the magazine. 30 is an ordinary pencil clip secured to casing 1.

In assembling the pencil, the parts within the casing; namell beginningwith the part 26 and ending wit the part 14, are with the exception,preferably, of the lead guide 8, externally assembled, the lead carrier22 being soldered to the bushing 23. These parts are then inserted intothe casing, the fit between the casing and the parts 3, 8 and l being,as already stated, a driveit. The follower is then retracted and theguide 18 forced into place within the magazine 14, the opening 17passing Lover the follower 10. The cap 27 is then applied producing thecompleted pencil.

llt is to be noted that there are always two complete leads and part ofa third in the pencil, as indicated in Fig. 1. When the lead nearest thepoint is used up, the magazine is turned resulting in the retraction ofthe follower and the plug 9 until the plug reaches its uppermost or rearposition. When this takes place, the upper end of the follower hasengaged the cam portions 19 of the guide 18 so as to flex the head ofthe follower to one side out of alinement with the axis of the leadcarrier, as indicated in Figs. 2 and 6. A lead is then inserted in theguide 18 in line with the axis of the carrier 22 and the other leads andthe magazine are turned so as to move the follower toward the point ofthe pencilpropelling the recently inserted lead and also the other leadswhich are already in the pencil. The reserve leads are kept in thespaces formed by the cross-shaped guide 18 within the magazine 14. Whenthe follower has been moved to its extreme position toward the point ofthe pencil, the revolution of the magazine in the same direction willcause the plug 9 to continue to revolve with the effect of movingthelower end of the spring 8 to the right (Fig. 2) until that lower endis compressed4 so as to be freedfrom the screwthreads 4of the plug 9.The result of this is that the magazine 14 and plug 9 can be turnedindenitely without injury to the pencil. When the motion of the plug 9is reversed, the screwthread on the plug engages the end of the spiralspring permitting it to expand and operate to propel the plug 9 with theAfollower l() to the right.

upon the magazine 14 after the plug 9 has reached the end of its travel.

0n account of the flexing of the follower, as shown in Fig. 2, by meansof the cam portions 19, new leads can be supplied to the pencil withoutremoving the follower or other internal parts, the attaining of which isthe principal object of my invention.

The compression and expansion of the spring when rotary movement iscontinued after it reaches its lower limit causes an laudible clickwhich indicates that a new lead is needed. ln a similar manner anaudible signal is produced which indicates when the follower is fullyretracted so as to be in a position to permit the insertion of a newlead.

As will be obvious to those skilled in the art, my invention permits ofvarious modications without departing from the spirit thereof or thescope of the appended claims.

What l claim is 1. In a propel pencil, the combination of a casinghaving an internal screwthread,.a lead carrying tube, an externallyscrewthreaded plug engaging said internal screwthreads, a followersecured to said plug and having a portion normally in line withthe borethereof, a magazine having an opening in line with the axis of saidplug, and means threaded plug-engaging said internal screwthreads, afollower secured to said plug and having a portion normally in linewiththe bore thereof, a magazine having an opening in line with the axis ofsaid plug, and means for deflecting said follower out of alinement withsaid axis when said follower is fully retracted, said follower being inthe form of.

a hairpin and having its legs secured to said plug on opposite sides ofits axis.

3. ln a propel pencil, the combination of a casing having an internalscrew-thread, a lead carrying tube, an externally screwthreaded plugengaging said internal screwthreads, a follower secured to said plug andhaving a.' portion normally in line with the bore thereof, a magazinehaving an opening in line with the axis of said plug, means fordeliecting said follower out of alinement with Said axis when saidfollower is fully retracted, said follower being in the form of ahairpin and having its legs secured to said plug on opposite sides ofitsaxis, and a guide having longitudinal guide grooves for said followerlegs extendmg through said plug to the bottom of said magazine. V

4. ln a propel pencil, the combination of a casing having an internalscrew-thread, a

lead carrying tube, an externally screwthreaded plu engaging vsaidinternal screw- 'threads, a fo lower secured vto said plug and having aportion normally in line with the bore thereof, a magazine having anopening in line with the axis of said plug, and a core Within saidmagazine having an opening in line with said lead carrying tube andprovided at its rear ends with a cam engaged y the rear end of'saidfollower when fully retracted so as to deflect said rear end. v 5. In apropel pencil, the combination of a casing having an internalscrew-thread, a lead carrying tube, an externally screwthreaded plugengaging said internal screwthreads, a follower lsecured to said plugand having a portion normally in line with the bore thereof, a 'magazinehavin an openingin line with the axis of said p ug, said follower .beinin the form of a hairpin and having its flegs secured to said plug onopposite sides of its axis, a core within said magazin'e having anelongated opening adapted to receive said hairpin follower and whoseaxis is in line with the axis of said lead carrying tube, the rear endof said core having a cam engaged by the rearI end of said hairpinfollower when fully retracted so as to be deflected by said rear end outof alinement with said opening.

6.111 a propel pencil, the combination of a casing, a spring helixtherein having a turn in its central portion fixed relatively to saidcasing and its lower end free, a follower having al portion within saidhelix engaging the same and adapted to compress said free end whenrotation is continued after the lower limit of the follower movement isvreached, and means for .rotating said folf lower relatively to saidhelix.

4is reached, and means for rotating said follower relatively to saidhelix.

8. In a propel pencil, the combination of a casing, a spring helixtherein having a turn in its central portion fixed relatively to saidcasing and its ends free, a follower having a portion within saidhelixand engaging the same and adapted to compress said free ends when'rotation is continued after either limit of the follower is reached, anda tube surrounding said helix, to which said helices are secured, saidtube having a drive-fit in said casing, and means for rotating saidfollower relatively to said helix.

9. ln a propel pencil, the combination of a casing, a springhelixtherein having a turn in its central portion fixed relatively tosaid casing and its ends free, a follower having a portion within saidhelix and enrotating therein, a helical thread in said casing, afollower engaging said helical thread and rotating within said magazineand a lead carrier extending into said magazine and having an upperenlarged end, said ,carrier having its lower end secured to said casingand said upper end holdingthe magazine within said casing. l

A11. ln a propel pencil, the combination of a casing having a taperedend, a bushing secured in said casing adjacent to said taered end, avmagazine rotatable in said casing, a helical thread within Said casing,a fo lower engaging said helical thread and rotating within saidmagazine, a lead carrier extending into said magazine and having anenlarged upper end, said carrier hav! ing its lower end secured to saidbushing so that its enlarged end holds said magazine within said casing.

12. In a propel pencil, the combination of a casing having a ta eredend, a magazine rotating therein, a he ical thread in said casing, afollower engaging said helical thread and rotating with said magazine,and a lead carrier extending into said magazine and having an enlargedhead on lits upper end, i

ing into said magazine so that leads can loe inserted in said carrierthrough said head. WILLIAM M. SAUNDERS.

